Generally, rheology modifiers are used to adjust a composition's rheological properties (including viscosity, flow rate, stability of viscosity over time or with increased temperature, and the composition's ability to suspend particles). For personal care products, the rheology of a formulation can have significant impact on consumer perceptions of the product. Known polymeric thickeners often show poor thickening efficiency or poor surfactant compatibility, and associative thickeners, while not suffering from these faults, display undesirable characteristics like reduced spreadability, poor viscosity maintenance at increased temperatures, and reduction of lather/foam.
Thus, a continuing need exists for new rheological modifiers that are efficient in thickening compositions for personal care products, while eliminating the typical shortcomings of currently known systems. Moreover, as sensory perception is critical in personal care product differentiation, it is important that said rheological modifiers maintain or even improve the feel of such products.